Rong Ling's Invitation

For the next several days, no matter where Xu Yuan went to mine, a tail followed at his side.

That tall, gaunt man was almost like a shadow. Wherever Xu Yuan went, he appeared on time, and he kept drawing closer. By yesterday, he had already been standing just ten feet away from Xu Yuan.

His cold gaze remained fixed on Xu Yuan, as though observing every single movement he made, leaving Xu Yuan with a constant chill crawling down his back.

With someone watching him like that, Xu Yuan naturally could not use his mining pick normally. He could only pretend to cast detection spells against the rock walls, greatly reducing his mining efficiency.

More importantly, he felt that Zhang Chao was gradually losing patience. If he still gave no response, what awaited him would most likely be even stricter restrictions.

After finishing a day's mining, Xu Yuan carried his pick and coat home. Tossing them aside, a trace of helplessness surfaced on his face.

The situation was stronger than the man. With his meager cultivation, he simply could not resist Zhang Chao's pressure.

"Do I have to head into the mountains to find a way to survive?"

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan calculated his chances of surviving in the mountains with his current cultivation. Unless he only picked through scraps around the outskirts, the moment he entered the inner mountains, a first-level Qi Refinement cultivator like him would be serving himself up on a platter.

Just as Xu Yuan was at a loss over what to do, he suddenly sensed that there seemed to be something indescribable inside the room.

The shadow before his bed writhed continuously. Then, beneath Xu Yuan's astonished gaze, it formed into a tall, slender figure.

"Dao disciple Xu Yuan."

A cold voice rang out. The newcomer stepped forward, and the shadows gathered and scattered again, prostrating themselves upon the ground as though welcoming their queen.

"Senior Rong Ling."

Xu Yuan's heart skipped a beat. He did not know why she had come here, but the moment he saw her, he respectfully bowed first.

Back in the mining area, he had thought she might merely be an ordinary disciple of the immortal sect. But after entering the sect gates, he learned just how far she had already come.

To put it simply, if Zhang Chao, who had been making things difficult for Xu Yuan at every turn, faced this woman, he would probably kneel before her like a lapdog.

"We haven't met for some time. Your cultivation hasn't fallen behind. Given your constitution, continuing to cultivate the Essence Refinement to Qi Transformation Art is indeed a viable path."

Rong Ling nodded at Xu Yuan. Then, as if her peripheral vision had caught something, she picked up the small cup of spirit wine Bi Qiong had given him earlier, flicked it lightly, and took half a sip.

Standing to one side, Xu Yuan truly had no idea why this great immortal had suddenly come to his home, so he did not dare speak rashly.

"Help me with something."

At that moment, Rong Ling spoke again. Yet it did not sound like a request, but a direct command.

Such an attitude would only provoke resentment in an ordinary person, but toward Rong Ling, Xu Yuan merely felt puzzled.

He pointed at himself and said, "If Senior needs help, Xu Yuan naturally would not dare refuse. But with my first-level Qi Refinement cultivation, I'm afraid I won't be able to help with much."

"Do you think I want you to help me face an enemy?" Rong Ling asked with amused disdain. She casually tossed Xu Yuan an iron token. "Tomorrow, when the sun reaches its zenith, carry this object out of Biyou Market. It will guide you to me."

Xu Yuan did not dare refuse the token, but he still forced himself to ask, "May I ask, Senior, what exactly do you need me to do?"

The instant those words left his mouth, Xu Yuan regretted them. He felt as if the surroundings had suddenly turned cold.

Just as he thought she would fly into a rage, this steward did not act. Instead, she replied impatiently, "You'll know when you get there."

"Oh, and no one can learn of this matter. Otherwise, hmph!"

With a bang, Rong Ling's figure suddenly vanished before his eyes. The shadows around him also settled once more, as though everything had merely been Xu Yuan's illusion.

Yet the heavy iron token in his hand told him that everything just now had been real.

That terrifying Rong Ling had actually come to his door—and she even wanted his help?

Xu Yuan looked grimly at the iron token in his hand. After a long while, it became a long, quiet sigh.

What else could he do? Though he possessed the labels and had immense potential, he was still weak for now. Against an old cultivator with years of cultivation behind her, he had no choice but to submit.

His desire to grow stronger intensified. Xu Yuan slowly closed his eyes and immersed himself in cultivation once again.

The next day, Xu Yuan did not go mining as usual. Instead, following Rong Ling's instructions, he cultivated at home until the sun was nearly at its zenith. Only then did he take the iron token in hand and step out of Biyou Market.

After walking some distance, the iron token in his hand suddenly grew faintly hot. Then it flew from his grasp, pointing Xu Yuan in a direction.

Seeing that it pointed toward the deep forests of the mountains, Xu Yuan was not surprised. He plunged straight in.

The Dark Mountain Range was vast beyond measure, almost spanning the entire territory of the Yue Kingdom. The land occupied by the Hidden Moon Sect was really only a corner in its southwest.

Beyond the territory occupied by the Hidden Moon Sect, all manner of terrifying demon beasts, vicious ghosts, and Demonic Beasts were the true rulers of the Dark Mountain Range.

The iron token flew silently ahead. Seeing that he was about to enter the deep mountains, Xu Yuan's heart tightened.

With his skinny arms and legs, if he truly encountered some monster, he would likely have no fate other than being swallowed whole.

Fortunately, Rong Ling seemed reliable enough. No demon beasts appeared anywhere the iron token passed, and Xu Yuan quietly entered the deep mountains just like that.

The lush greenery no longer filled his vision. A mist-like haze gradually rose around him, and the surrounding vegetation took on increasingly blackish-brown hues.

Crows perched atop the branches, their crimson eyes staring fixedly at Xu Yuan. From time to time, they let out strange cries, as though notifying the mountain spirits within.

Following the iron token closely, Xu Yuan feared getting lost in this place. At last, after an unknown length of time, the token stopped in a stretch of dry, barren ground.

There, Xu Yuan saw Rong Ling again.

She no longer possessed the relaxed bearing she had displayed last night. Now, she was slumped on the ground, with a massive gash in her neck, as though something had taken a bite out of her.

The white veil over her face had long since vanished without a trace. Her clean, immaculate white Daoist robe seemed to have been scorched by something and barely covered her body.

Her right leg appeared to be broken, twisted shapelessly to one side. The left hand she used for casting spells was missing a finger. As for her right hand, it had already been severed at the root.

It was a miserable state almost beyond imagining. An inner sect disciple had actually fallen into such a condition.

Especially when Xu Yuan moved to the side and discovered that her eyes were tightly shut, with bloody scabs at their corners. She had clearly already gone blind.

As for her opponent, Xu Yuan looked toward the monster standing naked all over, with dark red skin and two horns growing from its head, resembling a yaksha from the underworld. At that moment, it was being suppressed by a cassock-type artifact released from Rong Ling's right hand. Green smoke rose from its body as it wailed ceaselessly upon the ground.

At that moment, Rong Ling seemed to sense something and turned around. "Come closer."